公开(公告)号：US06215896B1

公开(公告)日：2001-04-10

申请号：US08974800

申请日：1997-11-20

申请人： R. Michael Greig ,  Robert Stone ,  Mark K. Shackelford

发明人： R. Michael Greig ,  Robert Stone ,  Mark K. Shackelford

IPC分类号： G06K900

CPC分类号： H01L21/67288 ,  G03F7/70641 ,  G03F9/7026

摘要： A real-time hotspot detection system is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the real-time hotspot detection system of the present invention comprises a photolithography stepper that has been modified to output z-height focus data for each cell to a fault detection module of the present invention. After the entire wafer has been exposed by the stepper, the fault detection module computes the mean and standard deviation and/or other statistical data for the wafer data and compares the computed standard deviation with a predetermined limits for “normal” standard deviation, representative of a completely flat wafer having no hotspots thereon. If the computed standard deviation is outside the limits for the normal standard deviation, the fault detection module provides control signals to the stepper for halting the operation thereof and for generating an indication to the stepper operator, via a pole light associated with the stepper, that a failure has occurred. In addition, a wafer map showing the z-height data of the wafer that caused the failure may be displayed on a display associated with the module to enable a visual inspection to be performed and the cause of the hotspot to be more easily located.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种实时热点检测系统。 在优选实施例中，本发明的实时热点检测系统包括已经被修改以将每个单元的z高度焦点数据输出到本发明的故障检测模块的光刻步进器。 在整个晶片被步进器曝光之后，故障检测模块计算晶片数据的平均值和标准偏差和/或其他统计数据，并将计算出的标准偏差与“正常”标准偏差的预定限值进行比较，代表 在其上没有热点的完全平坦的晶片。 如果计算出的标准偏差超出正常标准偏差的限制，则故障检测模块向步进器提供控制信号，以停止其操作，并通过与步进器相关联的极光向步进器操作者生成指示， 发生故障。 此外，显示导致故障的晶片的z高度数据的晶片图可以显示在与模块相关联的显示器上，以使得能够执行目视检查并且更容易地定位热点的原因。

公开(公告)号：US5859964A

公开(公告)日：1999-01-12

申请号：US736919

申请日：1996-10-25

申请人： Qingsu Wang ,  Gerald Barnett ,  R. Michael Greig ,  Yi Cheng

发明人： Qingsu Wang ,  Gerald Barnett ,  R. Michael Greig ,  Yi Cheng

IPC分类号： H01L21/66 ,  G06F11/00

CPC分类号： H01L22/20

摘要： A system and method for detecting faults in wafer fabrication process tools by acquiring real-time process parameter signal data samples used to model the process performed by the process tool. The system includes a computer system including a DAQ device, which acquires the data samples, and a fault detector program which employs a process model program to analyze the data samples for the purpose of detecting faults. The model uses data samples in a reference database acquired from previous known good runs of the process tool. The fault detector notifies a process tool operator of any faults which occur thus potentially avoiding wafer scrap and potentially improving mean time between failures. The fault detector also receives notification of the occurrence of process events from the process tool, such as the start or end of processing a wafer, which the fault detector uses to start and stop the data acquisition, respectively. The fault detector also receives notification of the occurrence of a new process recipe and uses the recipe information to select the appropriate model for modeling the data samples. The fault detector employs a standard data exchange interface, such as DDE, between the fault detector and the model, thus facilitating modular selection of models best suited to the particular fabrication process being modeled. Embodiments are contemplated which use a UPM model, a PCA model, or a neural network model.

摘要翻译： 一种用于通过获取用于对由过程工具执行的过程进行建模的实时过程参数信号数据样本来检测晶片制造工艺工具中的故障的系统和方法。 该系统包括一个计算机系统，它包括一个采集数据样本的DAQ设备，以及一个故障检测程序，该程序采用一个过程模型程序来分析数据样本以检测故障。 该模型使用从先前已知的良好流程工具获取的参考数据库中的数据样本。 故障检测器通知过程工具操作员发生的任何故障，从而潜在地避免晶片废料，并有可能改善故障之间的平均时间。 故障检测器还接收来自处理工具的处理事件的发生的通知，例如处理晶片的开始或结束，故障检测器分别用于启动和停止数据采集。 故障检测器还接收新工艺配方的发生的通知，并使用配方信息来选择用于建模数据样本的适当模型。 故障检测器在故障检测器和模型之间采用标准数据交换接口（如DDE），从而便于模型选择最适合于被建模的特定制造过程。 考虑使用UPM模型，PCA模型或神经网络模型的实施例。